Coupling for railway and other vehicles.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907- J. MELLAND-SMITH. COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND OTHERVEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIZ, 1906.

4 BHEET8-BHEET 1.

N0. 855,64 9. I PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

J. MBLLAND-SM'ITH.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES; APPLIOATION FILED JULYIZ, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 855.649. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

I J. MELLAND-SMITH.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES,

APPLICATION FILED JULYlZ, 1906.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

. fmumww 5R5 CO, WASHINGTON, D. C.

PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907. .J, 'MELLAND-SMITH. COUPLING FOR RAILWAY ANDOTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1906.

' SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JOSEPH MELLAND-SMITH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed July 12, 1906, Serial No. 325,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MELLAND- SMITH, a citizen of the UnitedKingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 34 Old Broadstreet, London, England, engineer, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Couplings for Railway and other Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to improvements in railway coupling devices bywhich the adjacent ends of two railway carriages may be doubly coupled,or uncoupled by means of mechanism adapted to be actuatedfrom one orboth sides of the carriage in a simple and effective manner therebyobviating the necessity of men going between the ends of the ad jacentcarriages for this purpose.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved coupling deviceso arranged as to Work in combination with existing couplings.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel device ofthis character which will relieve the existing draw bar arrange- 1mentof a great portion of strain it now has to ear.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a novel deviceof this character wherein the possibility of a coupling link jumpingfrom its hook when the carriages are brought into contact is obviated.

The invention has still further for its object to provide a device ofthis character which will be simple and efficient in operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thedetails of construction and the novel arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein likereference characters denote corresponding parts in the several views andin which Figure 1, is a view in side elevation showing the coupling inoperative position. Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the coupling. Fig. 3,is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a sectional view taken on theline AA Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on the line BB Fig. 2,Fig. 6, is a transverse sectional view showing a vehicle fitted with thecoupling, coupled to an adjacent vehicle with a coupling chain ofordinary type. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, are detail views enlarged ofcertain features of the invention.

In the drawings a, denotes a coupling bar, I), the crank bar and c, thelock bar mounted in the bearing e,f, and g, secured to the outer ends ofthe draw bars h, j, and lc,. The coupling bar a, and lock bar 0, extendtransversely of the vehicle and entirely thereacross, while the crankbar 1), extends but slightly to either side of the bearings e, g.

Mounted on the coupling bar a, is an arm m, to which the coupling hookn, is rigidly fixed, or as shown, formed in one piece therewith. Thecoupling bar a, can rotate within the arm m, to an extent that isdetermined by the clutch collars 0, fixed to the shaft a, and adapted toengage the stops 0, on the arm m. The arm m, or con ling hook 'n, isheld in its operative position y a crank 19, on the bar I), whichengages the free end of the arm m, said arm m, being at approximateright angles to the arm n.

Each end of the crank shaft '1), is provided with a pinion g, thatmeshes with a corresponding pinion r, fixed on the coupling shaft a. Thebosses r, of the two pinions 1" are formed with ratchet teeth whichengage pawls 8, carried by the lock shaft 0. Springs t, engage the pawlsand hold the same in engagement with the ratchet teeth of the pinionbosses.

The pinions g, of the crank shaft are loosely mounted thereon and areconnected thereto by clutch collars u, fixed to the shaft andcorresponding projections q, formed on the pinions so that for a portionof its rotation the pinions move idly without rotating the shaft. Thisis a well known construction and a detail thereof is believedunnecessary as the essential feature is to provide a construction topermit an idle rotation of the pinions with relation to the shaft 6.

Mounted on the shafts a, and 12, between the bearings e, and f, is abracket 12. On the intermediate part at, of the bracket 1;, is looselymounted the coupling link w. This coupling link w, is capable ofvertical movement to an extent limited by the facets y, formed on thebracket 22. On the outer ends of the lock bar 0, are the operatinglevers z. The outer ends of the coupling bar a, are provided withoperating arms 1, working through guides 1*. Each arm 1, is providedwith a handle 2, that slides against the action of a spring 2 The handleis provided with a pin or projection 3, which bears against the adjacentlever z, of the lock bar when in its lower vposition and by which thelock bar 0, may be so moved as to bring the pawls 8, out of engagementwith the ratchet teeth of the bosses r.

The bars a, b, and c, are preferably of hexagon cross section, as shown,so that the clutch bars of the coupling are prevented from rotatingthereon without the use of keys, pins or other device, calculated toweaken the bars and whereby parts may be easily removed and replaced orothers substituted without trouble. At its. inner end the central drawbar 3', is pivoted at 9, to a link or buckle 3' through which extendsthe spring 5. The ends of this spring 5, bear on the butler blocks 6,carried by the vehicle headstock 7 Pivoted midway its length to the drawbar j, by the pin 9, is the cross head 8, and the end portions of thiscross bar are provided with curved slots 10, in which Work rollers orpins 11, carried by the inner ends of the draw bars h, and L3,. Assumingtwo carriages in position for coupling and a coupling hook n, to be inoperative position, the operation of the coupling is effected by turningdownwardly either ofthe handle leversl, so as torotate the coupling bara, until the hook n, is brought into its horizontal position and intoengagement with the corresponding coupling link w, of the adjacentcarriage. During the greater portion of this movement the pinions q, ofthe crank shaft 1), are rotated idly by pinion r, of the coupling shafta, and at the closing period of the operation when the arm m, of thecoupling hook is nearits vertical position, the crank shaft 1), ispartially rotated by the projection g, and the clutch collars u, comingin contact, so that the crank p, is caused to engage the arm n, and holdthe hook in its operative position. The pawls s, by engaging the ratchetbosses r, of the pinions 1', also hold the parts in their operativeposition.

Similar operation of either operating lever of the coupling bar a, ofthe adjacent carriage will, in like manner, cause the-coupling hook n,of such bar to engage the coupling link to, of the first mentionedcarriage so that the two carriages will be doubly coupled.

In order to uncouple the carriages, the spring key or handle 2, ofeither operating lever is first caused to slide on its lever 1, so thatits inner end depresses the corresponding adjacent lever 2, of the lockbar 0, and thereby locates that bar against the action of the springs t,suihciently to cause disengagement of the pawls s. The coupling shaft a,is then partially rotated in order to disengage and lower the couplinghook n, into its inoperative position. During this partial rotation theclutch collars 0, do not I until the crank bar I), is rotated throughthe pinion g, and r, to rotate the arm m. Similar movement of thecorresponding parts of the coupling apparatus of the adjacent carriagewill in like manner disengage the other hook it.

In some cases the central draw bar 9', may be omitted in which case theslotted portion 9' that embraces the spring will be formed integral withor pivoted to the cross head 8. The improved coupling does not in anyway prevent the use of a carriage fitted therewith in combination with acarriage fitted with existing coupling chains of ordinary type, as isthought to be plainly shown in Fig.6, in

' which case the central draw bar j, is used.

What I claim is:

1. Coupling apparatus for railway and other vehicles, comprising acoupling bar mounted to rotate in bearings carried by the draw head ofthe vehicle, a coupling hook for engaging a corresponding device on anad' jacent vehicle, mounted to rotate to a limited ated by the couplingbar that upon rotating the coupling bar the hook is moved into itsoperative position and the holding device is 5 brought into operation,to place the hook in its inoperative position rotation of the couplingbar first actuates the catch to release the hook and then moves the hookin the desired manner, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. A coupling apparatus comprising a coupling bar rotatably mounted,pinions on the bar, a cranked bar rotatably mounted, pinions on thecranked bar engaging the pinions on the coupling bar, and a clutchmechanism on the cranked bar acting in conjunction with the pinions onsaid cranked bar, said clutch mechanism permitting the pinions on thecranked bar to turn loosely thereon to a limited extent.

3. In a coupling apparatus, in combination a coupling bar rotatablymountedpa coupling hook thereon, and means whereby the coupling bar islocked against rotation in a direction to move the hook out of itsoperative position.

4. In a coupling apparatus, a coupling bar rotatably mounted therein, acranked bar rotatably mounted, a coupling hook carried by the couplingbar, and means carried by the coupling bar for preventing the rotationof either the coupling bar or cranked bar.

5. Coupling apparatus for railway and other vehicles comprising threetransversely arranged bars, mounted to rotate in bearings carried by thedraw head of the vehicle, a coupling hook for engaging the correspondingdevice on an adjacent vehicle, mounted on one of such bars, and adaptedto be engaged ICC IIO

when in its coupling position by a suitably formed portion of anotherofsuch bars, which is connected by gearing with the coupling hook bar,locking means on the third of such bars adapted to engage a partconnected to either of the other two bars, and thereby prevent theirrotation, operating means for the coupling hook bar and means connectedto said coupling bar operating means whereby the third bar is soactuated as to release the locking means, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed. v

6. Coupling apparatus comprising a coupling bar, an arm on said couplingbar capable of a limited rotary movement thereon, a coupling hookengaging the arm, a cranked bar, and meshing gears on the coupling barand cranked bar, said coupling bar and cranked bar being both capable ofrotation.

7. Coupling apparatus, comprising three transverse bars mounted torotate in three bearings fixed to the vehicle draw bars, the

coupling hook being mounted on the coupling bar between the middlebearing and an outer one thereof, and the other outer bearing a bracketmounted on two of the transverse bars between the middle and outerbearing, a coupling link that projects away from the vehicle and whichis so arranged that it can rise or fall and can move laterally toadesirable limited extent carried by the bracket, substantially ashereinbefore described.

8. In a coupling apparatus, a coupling bar, a lever carried thereby, anda coupling hook on the bar, a spring -key carried by the lever, a secondbar, a locking means thereon, and a lever carried thereby engaged by thespring key of the coupling bar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH MELLAND-SMITH. Witnesses:

SAMUEL S. BROMHEAD, HENRY FAIRBROTHER.

